Radar Reflectors

[chrisallse]

What do we know about these then? It worth getting one on a rib? if so what type is best?

[gingercoastie]

Regulation V/19 of the SOLAS V rules for pleasure craft

Requires all small craft to fit a radar reflector 'if practicable'.

there are no size regulations for boats under 15m, it just states that you should fit the largest practicable.

With regards to different types you will have to wait for someone else to reply. I have one fitted, but it is more of a case of meeting the regulations than believing they can work effectively on a boat as low in the water as a RIB, even if you do have an A-Frame.

[Ribald]

GC,

Have you not tried to see if your colleagues @MRCC can pick you up on radar when you are out and about? Would be useful to know what sort of reflector you have and how good an echo it produces.

[Charles]

Do a search guys - we covered this ad nauseum some time ago.

[MICK YERRELL]

Ive just ordered a Radar Reflector from Viking 01603-767677 which is a Mini Tri Lens - it cost £99.99 Inc vat and can be seen on the following web page

www.tri-lens.com/trilensweb12002001.htm

See what you think:

[MarkWildey]

It appears that like many British laws the usefulness of the device, a reflector in this case, has nothing to do with it. As long as you have one you aren't going to get into trouble.

In May I was out in the dark with a RIB that had one fitted and I could not see it on my radar.

Following a visit to Jersey, thanks to Charles, I fitted one just to save any fines from self appointed busy-bodies

Not that I know about much but I reckon that unless to pay loads of money for something that is fairly sizable or very high-tech then they don't work that well.

They cost about £25 for a small one that can be cable-tied to the A' frame.

Cheers

Mark

[Richard B]

Originally posted by MarkWildey
I fitted one just to save any fines from self appointed busy-bodies...cost about £25 for a small one that can be cable-tied to the A' frame.

Same here... I did actually buy one of the cheap octohedral flat-pack ones but couldn't work out a satisfactory method of fitting it (it did occur to me that the RNLI should have a job lot of octohedral reflectors on poles just perfect for mounting after they converted all their Atlantic 21s and 75s to active enhancers). Anyway, I gave up on the whole octohedral idea and just went for paying lip service to the regs. And ended up with one of the useless type (tubular prismatic).

Yes, we certainly did this to death some time ago - so worth doing a search. Also one of the yachting or motorboat magazines did some tests a while ago - IIRC the active enhancers (McMurdo, Sea-Me or Cyclops) worked well for them, firdell blippers OK, octohedral worth the tenner if you mount it correctly (no-one ever does - they're supposed to be mounted like a cube, not a diamond) and the tubular ones almost useless.

I do carry a foghorn though - "football hooligan" type.

Does anyone carry a table of lifesaving signals?

[Alex Brown]

I fitted a Firdell Blipper (spelling?) to the top of my a-frame to get it as high as possible. Since the local fire brigade, and other commercial companies locally have these reflectors on their ribs, I thought I may as well follow on and get one myself.
I think it was about £150 all in with the stainless bracket - although the two screws that held it together at the bottom lost their thread a month or so back in some chop. I have now had the thing welded to its footing, which then has 4 solid screws holding it onto the a-frame, and the whole thing seems quite solid indeed.

-Alex

[gingercoastie]

Have you not tried to see if your colleagues @MRCC can pick you up on radar when you are out and about?

I would do, but it is a long trip down to Dover, just to see if the radar reflector is working.

[Ribald]

I would do, but it is a long trip down to Dover, just to see if the radar reflector is working.

Surely Falmouth CG have radar facilities at their station?

[gingercoastie]

Sorry, no we don't.